Chapter 134: The Malicious Email

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“The woman in the video is named Ancona. She is forty-six years old and one of the people responsible for cleaning the floor where the press conference was held.”

Mona displayed Ancona’s personal information to Roan, then brought up another surveillance video.

When the press conference began, Ancona had been walking back and forth in the corridor outside the conference room with a mop in hand. Each time, she kept her left hand in her pocket.

The moment the explosion occurred, Ancona appeared startled. She first dropped heavily to the floor, then took advantage of the confusion and hurried away with the others in a panic.

“Looks like she was the one who detonated the bomb remotely.”

After watching both videos, Roan pressed his lips together. He pondered for several seconds before tilting his head toward Mona and asking in a low voice:

“Were you able to find anything useful about the car?”

“No.”

Mona shook her head. After tapping the keyboard several times, she frowned and said:

“The license plate was fake. According to the surveillance footage along the roads, we could only trace the vehicle as far as Lower Brooklyn.”

In a place like Lower Brooklyn, all the driver had to do was abandon the car by the roadside. Within minutes, some Good Samaritan would come along and make sure it disappeared without a trace.

Roan was silent for a moment before saying:

“Look into Ancona’s recent financial situation. See if you can find anything useful.”

“Okay.”

Mona nodded and continued typing rapidly.

Time flew by, and soon it was time to leave work.

Afterward, Roan and the others did not go straight home. Instead, they drove to the hospital to visit Verinice.

But Verinice still had not woken up. She remained unconscious in her hospital bed.

After exchanging glances, Roan and the others had no choice but to leave and return the next day.

—

The next day, at Congressman Mate’s residence.

Sitting in a study nearly as large as the office of Investigation Team Five, Roan and Lacy exchanged a glance and quietly took a sip of coffee.

The shooting from the previous day had already been transferred by the NYPD to Investigation Team Five.

Mona had found nothing unusual in Ancona’s bank accounts. But if Ancona had received cash and chosen to hide it, there was naturally no way for Mona to trace it.

In the end, Mona had decided to go with Ryder to Ancona’s home and question her relatives and friends as well, to see whether they could uncover any useful information.

“All dinner invitations for this week are canceled!”

Just then, a somewhat furious voice came from the hallway outside the study.

The next second, the study door was pushed open, and a middle-aged white man with a long face and short beard entered, accompanied by an elderly white man in a suit.

“And cancel the interview with CNN too! My father just died, and they still had the nerve to invite me on their program! Damn it.”

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The middle-aged man was Congressman Mate’s son, Wilbur Mate. His face was full of anger, while the elderly white man beside him looked deeply troubled.

Roan and Lacy exchanged a glance. Lacy was the first to rise and extend her hand toward Wilbur.

“Hello, we’re FBI agents. We’re here because—”

“I know. You’re here to investigate the bombing.”

Before Lacy could finish, Wilbur waved her off and cut her short. He strode to the desk, picked up a glass of liquor, and downed it in one gulp. Then he turned around and said:

“Sorry. My father’s death was so sudden. I spent all of yesterday afternoon and evening dealing with everything, so I need a drink to keep myself going.”

Seeing Wilbur’s bloodshot eyes, Lacy frowned slightly.

“Can we begin, then?”

“Yes.”

Wilbur nodded, picked up the bottle, and took another long swallow.

Lacy’s brow furrowed at the sight. She turned and looked toward Roan.

Roan said nothing. He simply pulled a notebook from his pocket and asked with a grave expression:

“Mr. Mate, have you noticed anyone suspicious recently?”

“I don’t know.”

Wilbur shook his head. He explained that he had to work every day, while Congressman Mate went somewhere different each day, so he had no idea what his father did from one day to the next.

Roan made a few casual notes in the notebook and continued:

“Has your father offended anyone recently?”

“My father was a congressman. How could he not have enemies?”

At that question, Wilbur curled his lips into a cold smile.

“Recently…”

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Before Wilbur could finish, the elderly white man who had remained silent at his side suddenly began coughing.

The violent coughing startled Wilbur. Coming to his senses, he hurriedly set the liquor aside and said:

“I have a headache. You should ask him the rest of your questions.”

Roan and Lacy both frowned and turned their eyes toward the elderly man.

“Agents.”

Seeing their gaze, the elderly man slowly revealed a faint smile and said calmly:

“My name is Adam. I am the Mate family’s butler.”

“Hello, Adam.”

Roan extended a hand to restrain the agitated Lacy, then continued questioning him without changing expression:

“As the Mate family’s butler, you must know a great deal about Congressman Mate’s life before his death.”

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“Please tell us, did Congressman Mate offend anyone recently?”

“I’m sorry, I—”

Adam smiled faintly and was just about to deny everything when Roan interrupted him.

“I know what you’re about to say, but let me tell you this: although Congressman Mate is dead, the bombing may not be over. The killer has most likely set his sights on the man beside you—Wilbur.

“You can hire bodyguards to protect yourselves around the clock, but bodyguards will eventually let their guard down. The killer, however, never will. I’ll leave you to imagine the consequences.”

“What?”

Seeing Roan deliver those words with such a grave expression, Lacy’s lips twitched. Adam’s brow furrowed deeply, while Wilbur immediately sat upright.

“How did you find out that the killer is after me?”

Roan did not answer. He merely smiled faintly and turned his gaze toward Adam.

“…”

Adam fell into thought, while Wilbur began scratching his head and gulping down drink after drink.

Silence filled the room for a long while. Just as Wilbur was about to lose his patience, Adam finally raised his head and looked at Roan.

“Agent, while Mr. Mate was still alive, his computer received an email every day for some time.

“The contents were extremely vicious. The sender repeatedly threatened to kill Mr. Mate with a bomb.”

—

A pitch-black SUV sped toward the Jacob Federal Building.

“Nicely done, Roan.”

Sitting in the passenger seat, Lacy examined the computer Adam had handed over to them while asking with a smile:

“Roan, do you think Butler Adam told us the truth in the end?”

“Of course not.”

Roan shook his head. With only a little thought, however, he had already guessed what the other man was concealing.

It was probably nothing more than other congressmen or organizations that Congressman Mate had offended before his death because of conflicting interests or political affiliations.

But those people and organizations were ultimately motivated by money. They would never go so far as to send a bomb into FBI territory to kill Congressman Mate.

After all, doing so would also mean provoking the FBI, and there was nothing to be gained from that.

Ring, ring—

Just as the SUV was about to reach the Jacob Federal Building, Lacy’s phone suddenly rang in her pocket.

The End